Writing on Paper than on Tablet or Smartphone Enhances Brain Activity

            Many of us left handwriting behind the day we finished school and stopped taking longhand notes as students. While using a personal computer or tablet is the preferred method of writing for most professional writers, many novelists choose to handwrite at different creative stages of the creative writing process. If you’re getting started writing a novel, it’s worth considering whether working longhand or on a computer is more conducive to your creative process.

                                                                  

            A recent study of a Japanese university students and recent graduates has revealed that writing on physical paper can lead to more brain activity when remembering the information an hour later. Researchers say that the complex, spatial and tactile information associated with writing by hand on physical paper is likely what leads to improved memory. Actually, the paper is more advanced and useful compared to electronic documents because paper contains more one-of-a-kind information for stronger memory recall," said Professor Kuniyoshi L. Sakai, a neuroscientist at the University of Tokyo and the corresponding author of the research recently published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. The research was completed with collaborators from the NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting.

            Contrary to the popular belief that digital tools increase efficiency, volunteers who used paper completed the note-taking task about 25% faster than those who used digital tablets or smartphones. Although volunteers wrote by hand both with pen and paper or stylus and digital tablet, researchers say paper notebooks contain more complex spatial information than digital paper. Physical paper allows for tangible permanence, irregular strokes, and uneven shape, like folded corners. In contrast, digital paper is uniform, has no fixed position when scrolling, and disappears when you close the app.

What was the study based on?

            In the study, a total of 48 volunteers read a fictional conversation between characters discussing their plans for two months in the near future, including 14 different class times, assignment due dates and personal appointments. Researchers performed pre-test analyses to ensure that the volunteers, all 18-29 years old and recruited from university campuses or NTT offices, were equally sorted into three groups based on memory skills, personal preference for digital or analog methods, gender, age and other aspects.

            Volunteers then recorded the fictional schedule using a paper datebook and pen, a calendar app on a digital tablet and a stylus, or a calendar app on a large smartphone and a touch-screen keyboard. There was no time limit and volunteers were asked to record the fictional events in the same way as they would for their real-life schedules, without spending extra time to memorize the schedule. After one hour, including a break and an interference task to distract them from thinking about the calendar, volunteers answered a range of simple (When is the assignment due?) and complex (Which is the earlier due date for the assignments?) multiple-choice questions to test their memory of the schedule. While they completed the test, volunteers were inside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, which measures blood flow around the brain. This is a technique called functional MRI (fMRI), and increased blood flow observed in a specific region of the brain is a sign of increased neuronal activity in that area.

            Participants who used a paper datebook filled in the calendar within about 11 minutes. Tablet users took 14 minutes and smartphone users took about 16 minutes. Volunteers who used analog methods in their personal life were just as slow at using the devices as volunteers who regularly use digital tools, so researchers are confident that the difference in speed was related to memorization or associated encoding in the brain, not just differences in the habitual use of the tools.

            Volunteers who used analog methods scored better than other volunteers only on simple test questions. However, researchers say that the brain activation data revealed significant differences. Volunteers who used paper had more brain activity in areas associated with language, imaginary visualization, and in the hippocampus—an area known to be important for memory and navigation. Researchers say that the activation of the hippocampus indicates that analog methods contain richer spatial details that can be recalled and navigated in the mind's eye.

What is the researcher’s recommendation?

            Although the above-mentioned research focused on learning and memorization, the researchers encourage using paper for creative pursuits as well. They said "It is reasonable that one's creativity will likely become more fruitful if prior knowledge is stored with stronger learning and more precisely retrieved from memory. For art, composing music, or other creative works, I would emphasize the use of paper instead of digital methods".

Benefits of Writing by Hand

            Taking notes longhand has definite benefits, and it can be worthwhile for young writers to work with pen and paper, especially in the early stages of a project. Jotting thoughts down on a pad or in a journal can help you overcome writer’s block and develop a more tactile relationship with your story ideas. Some of the benefits of handwriting include:

1.      Writing by hand is useful for visual learners. Writing longhand notes gives you the graphic freedom to easily sketch an infographic, word web, or another non-traditional layout to put your thoughts down and visualize connections.

2.      Writing by hand boosts the learning process. Psychological science research conducted by researcher Daniel Oppenheimer at the University of California shows that handwritten notes help with memory and recall. Oppenheimer’s study shows that areas of the brain associated with recall and comprehension are more engaged when students write notes with a pen and paper.

3.      Writing by hand can be artful. Many people choose handwritten notes over computer notes simply because they prefer the aesthetic. If you have good penmanship or are skilled at cursive and calligraphy, handwriting notes can give you an outlet to practice a hobby while also working on a creative endeavor. All you need are a simple writing implement and a piece of paper, but many people also choose to work with fancy paper and a fountain pen.

4.      Writing by hand helps you avoid distractions. Technology can be an incredibly time-consuming and distracting part of our lives as writers. Writing fiction requires focus and shutting out distractions is an obstacle for many professional writers. Writing longhand away from your smartphone, tablet, or computer can help you focus on actual writing with pen and paper instead of with a keyboard or stylus.

 

 References:

1.      Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.

2.      Medicalxpress.com

3.      Masterclass.com